Partners
by timkhj
Summary: Hey! First Fic. 17 year old High School seniors Jimmy and Cindy explore their relationship. JC, SL, other pairings as needed
1. Partners

"Jiiiiiiiimmmy!" cried out the 17 year old blond as she jumped on the back of the brown haired boy standing at the lab table in front of her. Wrapping her arms and legs around the shoulders and waist of the target of her affection, she quickly kissed his cheek as he tipped forward under the force of her assault.

"Ha, ha, ha, " laughed 17 year old James Isaac Neutron, teenaged genius and high school senior. "Hey Cindy, I was wondering you'd get here," he said while steadying himself with his hands on the lab table in front of him. Turning his head slightly to look at her out of the corner of his goggle covered eyes, he appraised his once childhood rival. "You trying to upset the delicate chemical balance of our latest experiment?" he asked as he pointed to the assembled chemicals and components stewing and steaming on the table.

"No, but maybe the delicate balance of hormones inside a certain teenaged boy's body," she grinned slyly as she tousled his hair and slowly disengaged herself from his back. Sliding down his back, she once again marveled how much of a change occurred over the last 6 years to the body of Jimmy. Gone was the ice cream cone hair style, finally a much more subdued cut adorned his head. And while his head still was slightly larger than normal, his body grew and filled out so as not to look so unbalanced. Now an inch taller than his father, a regular exercise regimen prescribed by Cindy herself had his body if not muscular, at least fit and holding a wiry toughness that she had come to appreciate.

Grinning at her playfulness, he turned back to the bubbling chemicals just in time to pull a beaker off of the burner before it boiled over. "Perfect," he said aloud as he lifted the chemical with his tongs to inspect the color in the bright lights of the lab. Placing the beaker in a holder on the upper rack of the table, he quickly jotted down the final notes on large touch screen computer sitting on the edge of table. Taking off his goggles, he turned around and watched the retreating form of Cynthia Aurora Vortex as she crossed the lab to check on an experiment in the far side of the lab. 'Perfect,' he thought again, grinning at her form as she knelt down to check on the rate of one chemical being added to another through one of the complex machines they had created. At 5'6", her body was tight and toned due to her own daily exercise, which he grudgingly admitted was helping him as well. Her blond hair alternately was pulled up or left down - ponytail for workouts and experiments, down for most of the rest of the time. Watching her ponytail bob left and right as she inspected the experiment, he laughed to himself. He was very lucky to have a partner like her.

Wandering to the opposite end of the lab, Jimmy pushed through the door to the rest of the lab. The rather un-lab part. Leaving behind the advanced chemical compounds, sterile walls and countless experiments he walked into, well, what could almost amount to a small apartment hid in the underground facility still attached to the shed in his parents back yard. Ever since he and Cindy had started working together instead of attacking each other, he had slowly started converting parts of his lab to living space. There was now a main room for relaxation and entertainment with a couch, a few bean bag chairs and a large TV. Following 8th grade when Cindy realized "You have NO muscles, Nerdtron," an exercise area was added off to his left with exercise machines and a small dojo mat for Cindy's Tai-Chi workouts. Which lead to the addition of a shower/changing area (man did those workouts make a body sweat) and even a small wardrobe for an extra set of clothes for each of them. Yes, after realizing that she was probably a permanent part of his life, he allowed Cindy her own wardrobe and even added her as a primary account in VOX's database, giving her full access to the lab even when he wasn't around. Walking to the far side of the living area he stared at the half started kitchenette. Between the long hours in the lab that ran well past the standard meal times and well, Carl's appetite when ever the whole gang came over to hang out, Jimmy decided that a food area was long overdue. Hearing the door behind him open, he turned to face the radiant blond once more. Shedding the white overcoat she had put on earlier, she hung it on a peg near the lab door and flopped down on the couch.

"You know, I think we may be almost done with the preliminary testing on those chemical injectors. What do you think, time to market?" she asked as she closed her eyes, taking a much deserved break form her hectic daily routine.

"Probably, although finding a reliable manufacturer to make it up to spec might be a bit tough," he responded, noticing how tired she was. The long days they endured, rising early to check on their experiments, exercise, shower and quickly off to school for a day of 'learning', followed by homework and more work on experiments till late hours of the night was tough on their teenage bodies. Not to mention factoring in time for dates and personal lives - Cindy had a very strict "Saturday night OFF" rule to ensure they both got the rest and break from the stress. "You look bushed. Lets call it a night" he said, walking over to her. "It's Friday, and everything looks good. We'll worry about the small stuff tomorrow, so what do you say to just a little R&R.?"

"Fine, twist my arm," she laughed, opening her eyes to look at the figure standing over her with an offered hand. Reaching for it, she pulled herself up. "Lets call the gang and see whose free to meet at the candy bar"

"Already on it," he smiled, tapping his watch with his free hand and initiating the call.

As Jimmy called their friends, Cindy slipped into the changing room for a clean outfit. Returning a minute later in an outfit she kept specifically to tease Jimmy with, he looked up to see her clad in a green spaghetti strapped Tee with blue capris and white sneakers. Rolling his eyes at her "Retro" look, he put his arm behind her as they walked towards the main entrance together.

"So, where's the date tomorrow?" she asked him teasingly.

Rubbing the back of his neck with the hand, he shrugged. "Ehh, Betty wouldn't tell me. You?"

"I dunno. Nick was all hush hush about it" Cindy responded. "Well, lets go!" she grinned. "I got dibs driving the hovercar today!"

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A/N: Ehh? What? Who? I thought this was J/C:-P

This is my first Fanfic, first JN Fanfic, and well first time writing at all in like 5 years. Be gentle! (or not, I dun't mind criticism, just tell me what i need to do better :). Oh, and I HOPE to update this weekly. We'll see. Busy life and all.


	2. At the Candy Bar

A/N: I DON'T OWN JIMMY NEUTRON OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS OF THE SHOW. I AM MEARLY A FAN. (and a poor one at that mr/mrs lawyers, esq.)

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"Here you go, guys," said the rotund red head in his nasal voice, placing a tray of ice cream sundaes on the booth table.

"Gee, Carl, and here I thought you weren't working tonight," replied Sheen as he removed two sundaes from the tray and placed one in front of both himself and his smiling girlfriend.

"No, he ain't workin' tonight, he just serves us so Sam will let him try out the new flavor, right?" asked Libby, poking fun at their hefty friend. Two years ago, Carl's daily conversations with Sam about candy and ice cream flavors led Sam offering the teen a part time job – impressive because it was Sam's first worker since he first opened the Candy Bar. The job did wonders for Carl's popularity at school with people trying to get free goodies out of him. Surprisingly, he not only took to the job of serving candy and treats well, but his knowledge of the sugary confections led to some impressive sales growth as Carl started taking a bigger hand in deciding what candy to order and stock. Unfortunately for Carl, working at the Candy Bar also allowed him ample time to work on his ample stomach, and all the slimming he had done during puberty was being added back on.

"Well, I DID want to try this new Jungle Loving mix we got in yesterday… I mean it's Banana and Coconut frozen yogurt mixed with Macadamia nuts and it looks so yummy" grinned Carl as he picked up the yellow, white and green swirled treat on the end of the tray. "Although I don't know what the green is," he pondered as he dug in with his spoon; his comment causing looks of abject horror on his assembled friends.

Picking the last two sundaes off the tray for Cindy and himself – thankfully just vanilla hot fudge and not a weird creation – Jimmy passed Cindy her ice cream and scooped into his frozen treat. "Wow, it's been a while since it was just the old gang," he commented, looking at the group.

"You know, you're right," responded Libby. "Where are Nick, Betty and Heather?"

"Uhh, Heather is working at the cinema tonight," said Carl, grinning at the thought of his girlfriend. She had moved to Retroville two summers ago, and instantly became a friend of the group. After an extended bout of flirting on both parts, she finally asked out the shy Carl at the start of summer vacation before their Senior year. Four months later, they were both hopelessly in love with each other.

"Ya, and Nick had football practice for tomorrow's game…" started Cindy

"..pssht, of course, star QB…" interjected Sheen.

"..and for some reason Betty turned the offer when I mentioned who was going… she said something about not being in the moods for sweets," finished Jimmy, slightly puzzled at his girlfriend's response to the invitation.

"Watching her weight? Staying pretty for her boyfriend? Heck, not like she'd need to worry. She's got you wrapped around her little finger. You'd NEVER stray from her," grinned Cindy, playfully punching Jimmy on the arm.

"More like she didn't want to compete for attention with Cindy when Nick wasn't around," muttered Sheen half-under his breath. "Ooof!" he uttered as Libby elbowed him hard in the ribs. The comment went unnoticed as Jimmy and Cindy bantered back and forth about how devoted their appropriate significant other was to them. Also unnoticed to them was how the rest of the world saw the two of them, sitting side by side clearly enjoying the company of the other.

"Quiet, Sheen, keep it quiet," whispered Libby to Sheen. Her boyfriend had grown in the years since Lindberg elementary, and was much faster on the draw on much of life than he had been as a kid.However, his comments still came out at the most inopportune time. "Jimmy has Betty, Cindy has Nick, and they ALL are happy. No need wrecking things just 'cuz Jim 'n Cin happen to LOOK like a married old couple."

Rolling his eyes, Sheen whispered back. "Whatever Libs, I just see this crashing and burning like Ultra Lord's arch nemesis in episode number… OOF!" he cringed as Libby's elbow reconnected with his ribs.

"Hey you two, stop the flirting," joked Jimmy, finally noticing Sheen and Libby's huddled whispering. Completely oblivious to the irony of his comment, he continued eating his ice cream and enjoying the company of his friends.

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A/N: a little shorter of a chapter, just trying to get a little set up here. Lotsa confusion I guess on the status of J/C, hope this at least starts to clear things up. More to be revealed in future chapters. Oh, and is that a proper use of "ironic"? not sure. Read and Review please!

-Tim


	3. Date Preparations

A/N: I DON'T OWN JIMMY NEUTRON OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS OF THE SHOW. I AM MEARLY A FAN. (and a poor one at that, mr/mrs lawyers, esq.)

Betty Quinlin was nervous. Standing on her boyfriend's front porch, hoping everything would just go smoothly, she waited for someone to answer the door. Reaching to press the doorbell a second time, she paused as she heard a muffled voice followed by a scuffle and thump at the door. Slowly the door opened, revealing a slightly disheveled blond in a lab coat. "Jimmy will be right down, Betty. Come on in," invited Cindy as she brushed herself off.

Conflicting feelings of jealousy and relief swirled through the brunette as she entered the Neutron household. These thoughts raced through her head. "It's her. It's always her. But, this means Jimmy hasn't forgotten. He won't be late. She makes sure Jimmy sticks to his schedules. But why always her? Why not me?" Steeling her feelings and quelling the uneasiness in her stomach, Betty walked into the living room. Cindy ran up the stairs to retrieve Jimmy. Hearing the blond call for Jimmy once again turned Betty's stomach. Smoothing the shear black dress she had on, Betty forced a smile onto her face and stepped through the living room into the kitchen.

"Hello, Betty, dear," came the gentle tones of Judy Neutron.

"Hi, Mrs. Neutron," replied Betty, smiling at the older woman baking pies in the kitchen.

"So tonight is a big night for you two, right?"

"Yes, our three year anniversary."

"Jimmy mentioned you were planning things," commented Mrs. Neutron, studying the younger girl with knowing eyes. While Betty and her son certainly cared quite a bit for one another, lately the two of them seemed a half a step off in almost all they did. Jimmy was consistently late for the start of their dates due to his various experiments. Betty, though she tried, would repeatedly get lost while her son discussed his latest project. And most importantly, there was Cindy. Lately, the two of them were inseparable. While Judy did not doubt the intentions of either of the young scientists, the way they acted lately was unnaturally close for mere science partners, or even for close friends. Although Betty covered it well, Judy noticed the pain in the young girl's eyes; the occasional flash of jealousy when Jimmy and Cindy had a moment. Even that Nick boy Cindy was dating noticed it once in a while. Unfortunately, the two causing the trouble never realized what was truly happening. Dismissing his mothers worries with comments like 'We're just friends, Mom,' came easily to the clueless boy genius. Smiling serenely at Betty, Mrs. Neutron wished the best for all parties involved.

"Yes, I wanted it to be special," said Betty. "And since Jim was really sweet the last two anniversaries, and he put so much thought and effort into them, I decided to treat him to a wonderful time and not worry him with the planning since he's been so busy lately. Especially with that new chemical thingy he and Cindy are working on," she continued, hoping he didn't bite off Cindy's name harshly. Continuing the conversation in her head, she thought to herself, 'I KNOW they really are just friends. I mean, they say so. They just are working so hard on that… thing. And Cindy has Nick, the guy she was chasing for years. Quite vocally chasing. And the reigning school hero after the game this afternoon… which Cindy did attend, without Jim… yea, it's okay. He still says he loves me. And he wouldn't knowingly ever tell a lie…" That last thought burned in her mind, but she couldn't quite understand why.

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"Stay still while I tie this thing for you," exclaimed a slightly exasperated Cindy. "Don't move," she commanded, moving behind Jimmy. Reaching up over his shoulders, her hands traced his collar and down the front of his shirt searching out the black ribbons of cloth that made up his tie. "I swear, you're a genius to whom space travel is boring and mundane, yet the intricacies of a simple necktie have you baffled." she scoffed, manipulating the two ends into a neat half-windsor. "At least I had to do this for that play last year, or you'd be running to your mommy to make you pretty," she teased. As she pulled the knot tight to his neck, their height difference brought her chest tight against his back. Jimmy turned inside her embrace, facing her as her arms draped up and clasped behind his neck. Leaning in and giving her a gentle peck on her forehead, his arms reached up under hers and he hugged her gently. "Thanks Cin, don't know what I'd do without you," he smiled warmly.

Cindy was suddenly aware of Jimmy. The firmness of his chest, the warmth of his body, the faint scent of his cologne...flushed, she dropped her hands to the side and looked away. "No prob." she replied. Quelling the butterflies in her stomach, she looked back at him and took a step back. "You look great tonight." And he did. As he grabbed his black suit jacket, Cindy was amazed at how GOOD Jimmy looked. As he flashed her a smile of thanks, the words 'sexy, too' floated to her mind. As he walked out his door and down the stairs to his date, Cindy paused. "Did I just think SEXY, about Jimmy?" she wondered half aloud. Shaking her head to clear these foreign thoughts from her mind, she watched Jimmy turn the corner at the bottom of the stairs. "Nice butt, too," she thought, then paused again at what she was thinking. Shuddering at her sudden revelations, she forced her mind clear and ran down the stairs to see Jimmy off. "Can't forget my date with Nick tonight, either," she reassured herself, not entirely knowing why she needed to reassure herself of that.

Entering the kitchen, Cindy saw Jimmy and Betty locked in a tight hug, and seeing the joy on his face, she smiled. Betty made Jimmy happy, and that was important. Unconsciously rubbing her chest as if to rub a bruise or sore muscle, Cindy was unaware of the momentary look of pain her face showed, as well as missing the all too understanding gaze of a woman several years her senior. With Jimmy and Betty bidding goodbye to Cindy and Mrs. Neutron, the exited out to the driveway joking how Betty was going to be driving this date, and yes the roadways were safe with her at the wheel. Mrs. Neutron leaned over and gave a supportive hug to the young blond and turned to finish her pies. Unsure why she needed comforting but thankful for it, Cindy excused herself to get ready for her own date. Crossing the street, her own emotions were a swirling cloud of gray. Unsure what all her emotions were telling her, Cindy attempted to clear her mind. She had a date with Nick Dean in under an hour, and she needed to hurry. He had been anxious all week long to tell her something tonight on their date. As she pondered Nick's forthcoming conversation, back across the street Mrs. Neutron glanced out the window and sighed. Her son and his friends were in for a bumpy ride.

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UPDATE – I changed Betty's dialogue – she calls Jimmy "Jim" – minor tweak

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A/N: so much to happen, and I'm very unsure of my work here. I don't know if the emotions came out clearly, if the dialogue made sense, etc. It felt a bit rushed to me, but at least at this point I'm stumped. So I'd rather just get this part of the plot out to you all. PLEASE read and review. I hope to respond and fix if necessary.

-Tim


	4. Nick's Suprise

A/N: I DON'T OWN JIMMY NEUTRON OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS OF THE SHOW. I AM MEARLY A FAN. (and a poor one at that, mr/mrs lawyers, esq.) 

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10:15 PM

Sitting on the front porch of her family's home, Cindy stared at the tail lights of Nick's sports car as it drove around the corner and out of sight. Sighing, she looked across the street. Either Jimmy wasn't home yet or he was already asleep, she deduced by the darkened windows of his bedroom. Ignoring her own front door behind her, Cindy stood up and started walking across the street. Her parents hadn't set a curfew for her tonight, so why not take advantage of the opportunity and do some extra work in the lab. With the presentation to potential manufacturers of the chemical injector she and Jimmy had developed looming, there was always something to do. "Besides," she thought to herself, "after tonight, I just don't feel like sleeping quite yet."

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8:11PM

"Hey Nick," the blond greeted her boyfriend as she opened the door. "Come on in," she said, waving him in.

"H-Hey," he replied, uncharacteristically nervous as he stepped in the front door of the Vortex household. Upon entering the foyer of the home, Nick proceeded to stare intently at a spot on the floor just in front of his feet. Frowning momentarily at his unusual behavior, Cindy excused herself to get her shoes upstairs as Mrs. Vortex walked into the room.

"Hello, Nicholas," Mrs. Vortex greeted her daughter's in her nasally formal voice. "School is going well, I suppose?" she questioned of him.

Raising his head to look at her, he responded with a nervous "Yes," then looked back at the spot on the floor. Nick fervently hoped he had wiped the deer-in-headlights look off his face before looking up, but wasn't convinced he pulled it off.

Slightly put off by his out of character actions, Mrs. Vortex opened her mouth so query him again, then paused. "It is their 4 year anniversary, so maybe he's just nervous about making it special for Cynthia," she thought. "Don't worry about a curfew tonight, Nicholas, enjoy yourselves this once," she said aloud, incorrectly assuming what was causing his behavior. Pleased with herself at finding what she felt was a solution to his problems, Mrs. Vortex turned to walk back into the kitchen as her daughter descended the stairs.

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10:17 PM

Walking up to the entrance of the lab, Cindy looked into the retinal scanner and awaited entry to the underground facility. As the confirmation light turned green and VOX opened the door for her, she paused and looked at the back of Jimmy's house. "I wonder how his date went… I hope Betty appreciated how he looked tonight," she mused aloud, suddenly blushing as she remembered her own reaction to seeing him – and his rear – walking down the stairs. Walking into the living area of the lab, she immediately headed into the changing area to replace the dark green dress with jeans, t-shirt and more importantly lab coat. Wiggling her way out of the tight dress she wore for the night, Cindy recalled more of the proceedings of the night.

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8:45 PM

"Wow, you are simply stunning tonight," Nick complimented, staring at the beautiful blond in the dark green dress across from him.

Smiling weakly, she quietly thanked him. Not that she didn't mind the compliment, but it was the seventh time since they reached the restaurant he complimented her looks, the tenth since she came downstairs at her house with her shoes on. Pursing her lips as she studied the boy who once again was uncharacteristically looking downwards, she sighed. "Nick, what's up. This should be a great celebration. I mean, FOUR YEARS! This is pretty big. It's like twice as long as almost anybody at school – including some of the teachers! Even Jimmy and Betty are only celebrating their third anniversary. What's with the sudden weird… weirdness with you?" she asked, struggling with her words. Her boyfriend for her entire high school career was sitting almost scared at the table in front of her. Butterflies suddenly filled her stomach; was she about to loose him? Watching him squirm before her, he finally looked up at her.

"No.." he said softly. "It's actually pretty cool that we've made it four years." Glancing at her pleading eyes, he felt emboldened. Clearing his throat, he continued, "Well, I planned on waiting till after dinner, but I guess there's no time like the present. See, this thing we have, it's like so great. I mean really cool. And well, I thought of only one thing to get you for our anniversary." As he fished through his pocket, he laughed nervously, "Well, besides an expensive dinner." Pulling out a small black felt box, Nick handed it to Cindy. She gasped as she opened it. "Think of it as a promise ring… as long as we're together at the end of the school year, I'd like to ask for… well, you know" he finished awkwardly.

Cindy stared at the simple band with a small solitaire set in it and gaped. It wasn't an overly expensive ring, but that wasn't what had her tongue. "N… N… Ni…. " she started, not knowing what to say. Her mind was completely blank.

Sensing her hesitancy, he nervously amended himself. "Tell you what, just think of it as a simple anniversary gift, just a ring. I mean, that's what it is, a gift. Just a way of saying I love you… Because I do… So much… But not to push you or anything into anything…" He stumbled through the words, the nervous pain of making a possibly bad decision written across his face.

Working her mouth slowly, Cindy looked up at her panicking boyfriend and caught herself. "Nick, I love you too… You just took me by surprise… I mean all week you've been… and tonight, I mean… Well, it is a lot to take in…" she spoke, finding her voice again. Still reeling from the shock of his question, she thought to herself, "I mean, I'm just a senior in high school… I was planning on college and a job before I even thought about this… God! Do I want this? I love Nick, but… mar.. marr… I mean a promise ring…" her mind refused her to even think that word.

Seeing his girlfriend's internal turmoil manifest itself with a furled brow and odd look in her eyes, he stated, "Just a ring, okay? No promise, no en… no… just a ring, okay?" he asked, taking her hands in his; all wrapped around the box in question. Nodding numbly, they both looked up to find a struggling waiter trying not to spill their food as he waited for their discussion to conclude.

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10:23 PM

Stepping out of the changing room, Cindy sighed. The rest of the date was pretty much a blur. Talking with Nick on the ride home, much of the conversation was just light talk dancing around any major topics. It wasn't until he dropped her off that they finally broached the topic again, and she voiced her feelings. After more than a little reassurance that she did still love him and that she just hadn't considered making any decision until after college, they parted with a chaste kiss. Pushing open the door to the work area of the lab, Cindy found herself staring at a very forlorn, red eyed James Isaac Neutron. "Jim… have you been crying?" she heard herself say.

A/N: So super sorry! I have been exceedingly busy at work (oddly enough where I usually start my writing – sorry boss :P) and am very late on posting. It took quite a bit of restarting to get this chapter even close to where I wanted it. Also, much thanks to **_flamelyte_** for helping me brainstorm and pick out exactly how I want this story to develop. Anyways, thanks for the encouraging reviews everybody, please read and continue!

-Tim

PS-had this done a couple days back, but couldn't upload cuz i got errors :(


	5. Betty's Diary

A/N: I DON'T OWN JIMMY NEUTRON OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS OF THE SHOW. I AM MEARLY A FAN. (and a poor one at that mr/mrs lawyers, esq.)

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_October 1_

_It was coming._

_It had to happen._

_It just…_

… _**He** didn't get it._

_And so, it happened. I did it. _

_After all the planning, the hoping, the expectations… I guess that's what I get, huh? I mean, I wanted to make it special for us. Jim made things special so many times before, always doing something nice for me, for us. Valentine's Day, my birthday, Christmas… Everything he did was so sweet. But…. _

_Maybe it was me? Did I do something wrong? What did I do to get him to stop loving me? _

_NO! It isn't that. It's her. HER. She's ALWAYS over to his house. Always his lab partner whipping up whatever in that lab of his. If it weren't for her or that lab… maybe we'd still be together. But noooooooooo. Even on out date, he was thinking of her; of THEIR project… I mean the setting was perfect. Dinner at the best restaurant in town, candlelit table in the corner, a dreamy look on his face as he looked at me… Except that look wasn't at me or for me. It was Jim thinking of what he had to do with HER for that THING. And he went ON and ON about it ALL THROUGH DINNER. It was so FRUSTRATING._

_ARRRRRRRRR!_

_Still, I held my tongue. It was just Jim, getting caught up in his science stuff, just like he always did, ever since Mrs. Fowl's elementary class. As annoying as it was, I kinda miss when Jim was always fighting with her… things would be so much easier. Of course, that didn't help what was next. I mean, How could he miss what was next? I took him out to the park. THE PARK. Asking him what he remembered about this place… I mean he talked about squirrels, broken toys, stupid things. But when I brought him to OUR PLACE, where he ASKED ME OUT, and I asked him what HE remembered about this spot… _

…_he said her. HER. Something stupid about dogs playing dead. _

_OH MY GOD!_

_Sorry about these wet spots here. _

_But that was it._

_And so It's Done._

_Over. _

_I need sleep._

_I'll write again tomorrow. _

_-Betty _

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A/N: Big Thanks to _**beatgoeson65**_ for reviewing for me!

I hope this made sense to you all... I tried to get theturmoil feelings of love and loss together as they shred through her mind. Please read and review! (and sorry for the delay!)

-Tim


	6. Early Morning

A/N: I DON'T OWN JIMMY NEUTRON OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS OF THE SHOW. I AM MEARLY A FAN. (and a poor one at that mr/mrs lawyers, esq.)

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Eyes fluttering open, her vision slowly focused on grey wall. Startled by uncertain surroundings, Cindy jerked her body upwards, only to be stopped by a strong pull from her shoulder. Looking to her right in confusion, she was greeted by a face full of brown hair. Recognizing the head of Jimmy, she finally got her bearings. "Oh, right, I'm in the lab. I must've dozed off…" Looking at her arm trapped behind Jimmy's back, she slowly wiggled her arm in an attempt to extricate herself. Pulling herself free of his sleeping form, she groggily looked at the clock. "Six? Ohhhh… my mother is NOT gonna be happy" she thought. Stretching her arms to work out the early morning kinks, she looked over at Jimmy. "So peaceful," she murmured, noting the relaxed look on his face that contrasted the red puffy cheeks from last night's tears. It seemed half the night was spent with him crying over her shoulder, repeating little things like "my fault", "over" and "not so smart after all". It didn't take much deduction to understand at least the basics of what happened. After his choking sobs subsided, he forced out a brief recounting of the night from his point of view. To Jimmy everything seemed okay until he forgot they were at the spot he asked Betty out 3 years ago. He knew he was wrong, and he understood he made Betty upset. Cindy wasn't entirely sure how that equated to breakup material, but Jimmy was sure it did. Frowning, she knelt down in front of the sleeping genius. Softly caressing his tear stained cheek with her right hand, her heart went out to her best friend. "Jimmy," she whispered, "I hate to do this to you, but we've got to get up and get going here." Rubbing from the corner of his mouth to the top of his cheek with her thumb, tumultuous feelings of warmth, caring, pity, and anger at the one who could hurt her Jimmy washed over her. Trying not to dwell on those feelings, she whispered, "Wake up, Jimmy."

As his eyes slowly opened, Jimmy was greeted by gleaming emerald orbs that seemed to pierce his soul. Recognizing the face of the one who comforted him last night, his mind desperately searched for a way to express the gratitude he felt. In a moment of true self despair, Cynthia Vortex had been there for him, hugging, holding, and just being a friend as he bared his soul and torn heart to her. Finding words lacking, he simply slipped his arms under those of the blond kneeling before him and pulled her chest against his. Gripping her tightly, he rasped out, "Thank you," as his lips brushed by her left ear and he buried his face in her golden locks.

Speechless, Cindy's face flushed from the intimate contact. Suddenly glad he couldn't see her face, she felt her cheeks burn as the warm breath from his mouth tickled her ear. Slowly hugging him back, her mind questioned her body's response to his touch. "Do I like him like _THAT_?" she asked herself. Pushing that thought from her mind, she slowly rubbed Jimmy's back and replied, "Anytime. I'm here for you." Enjoying his embrace for a few moments more, she sighed and slowly pushed herself free. "However, it's time we went home. Your mother is probably worried about you, and my mother probably has the wrong idea about my activities last night. Smiling gently at him, she watched as he used the backs of his arms to wipe off fresh tears from his face. "It'll be okay." She assured him.

Smiling at the kind words of his closest friend, James Isaac Neutron slowly stood up and looked again at the blond. "Yea, ok. Let's go then." He said, taking her arm and escorting her to the exit. For a moment, his face fell again, but Jimmy quickly recovered and pushed a smile back on his face. As they walked out into the early morning light, they both took a few steps onto the lawn then stopped, sighing.

"Rough night," Cindy said, sliding her arm around his waist and giving a supporting squeeze.

"Yea," he said softly. Squeezing her back in gratitude, he looked at Cindy and paused in thought. "At least your date went well, right?" he inquired of her.

After a slight pause, she responded, "Umm yea… Nick gave me jewelry… nothing special."

Satisfied that at least one of them had a decent night, Jimmy waved goodbye to Cindy and walked the few steps into his home. Cindy then crossed the street and headed up the steps into her own home, fearing the impending conversation with her mother.

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UPDATE: FIXED MY MISTAKES (PARAGRAPHS) :-P

A/N: Sorry the last chapters have been shorter... I just thought the breaks were appropriate for each part of the story. Hopefully, the future chapters will be longer. Anyways, please read and review! Thanks!

-Tim


	7. Planning

A/N: I DON'T OWN JIMMY NEUTRON OR ANY OF THE CHARACTERS OF THE SHOW. I AM MEARLY A FAN. (and a poor one at that mr/mrs lawyers, esq.)

Also – Sorry about the delay in posting – Vacation and work have kept me unusually busy, as well as a case of writers block the size of Kansas.

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"And so, by providing customers the ability to save money by mixing their chemicals in exact measurements, chemicals that previously had to be handled separately are now able to be combined in one compartmental unit. This unit is accurate enough with the multitude of sensors built-in to allow for a much higher tolerance on end result; thereby cutting down on expensive error checking procedures like test runs and test batches because the advanced chemical scanning allows for instantaneous error checking on each end result. Also, this unit is completely interchangeable to fit the application of choice. Ladies and gentlemen, I only have one question." Pausing, Jimmy's face fell as he continued, "Why the hell did Betty dump me."

Water rolled down his face as Jimmy sat at the desk in his room. Unfocused eyes blinked a rain of tears once again fell upon the handwritten draft of his speech. His right hand clutched at his heart. The tightening in his chest pulled on his soul. Rubbing his eyes clear, Jimmy said aloud to himself, "No, I have to get this right. The meeting is less than two weeks away…" Looking down at the water stained sheets; he started again, "Ladies and Gentleman…"

Twenty minutes later a soft voice at the door interrupted the teen's oratory efforts. "Wow, never thought I'd see the day Jimmy Neutron used regular pen and paper."

Whipping his head around, Jimmy dropped the papers in his hand in shock. "Wha…?" he stammered.

Pointing at her watch, the blond girl explained, "Remember, we agreed to work on our presentation at noon today?"

"Oh, yea," came the weak response.

"So, let's hear what you've got," Cindy asked of her lab partner.

"Well…. I don't really have anything," Jimmy replied, nervously scratching the back of his head. "I've been… distracted."

"Distracted? Come on," Cindy scolded, eliciting a look of shock from Jimmy. Walking over to where he sat in at his desk, she continued. "You're upset. You just had a bad break up with a long term girlfriend." Looking at his tear stained cheeks and puffy eyes, her heart broke to see him in such pain. Squatting in front of him, she looked him straight in the eyes. "Talk to me. What's running through that oversized cranium of yours? You need to let this out or it will eat you alive."

Sighing, Jimmy stood, took Cindy's hands, and led her over to the bed. Pulling her down so they sat face to face. Staring at their hands for a minute, he finally looked at the patient and caring expression on Cindy's face. "I don't know. I know I said I understood, but I don't. I mean…" Sighing, he took a breath before continuing. "I love her. I mean, I liked her for years in elementary, then again in high school… It's natural, for me to want to be with her, right? And it used to be so good… but lately things bother her, and it's frustrating when she doesn't understand what I'm talking about… But I miss her. I don't want to lose her."

The pain in his eyes pulled at Cindy's heart. His voice dripped with sorrow and regret. Looking at the person in front of her bearing so much emotion, Cindy made a snap decision. "Jimmy, I'll help you get her back."

"What?" he exclaimed, as if he never considered that a possibility. "B-b-but she dumped me… it's over."

"No, it's not. If you truly care for her, fight for her. Show her how truly wonderful a person you are and get Betty back," Cindy finished with gusto. As Jim turned towards the window in thought, Cindy felt a wave of nausea float through her body. Finally realizing the emotion of jealousy floating beneath her other emotions, Cindy's sat in shock over the realization that she might be harboring deeper feelings for Jimmy then she had previously thought.

"Cindy, I'll do it," he said, hitting his fist with his palm in a show of resolve. Turning back towards her, his eyes were already looking ahead at the steps he would take to get Betty Quinlin back in his life, not noticing the look on the face inches from his own.

"Great," she replied, affixing a mask of happiness over her emotions as she wrestled with thoughts in her head. Looking at Jimmy, she quietly asked, "Hey, Jimmy, how about you don't mention that I told you to do this… It'll umm… look bad to her if it seems that this wasn't your first thought, you know?"

"Okay," he said, contemplating the request. "I thought she'd be happy I had such a thoughtful friend to count on, but you're right, that seems much more logical." Leaning over and kissing her forehead, he added, "Thanks for being such a good friend."

A blushed complexion at his kiss was replaced by a weak smile from his words. Disengaging herself from his touch she stood and collected the papers he had dropped on the desk when she first entered. "How about I take these papers home and work on this while you call Betty and get things started for yourself, okay?"

"You sure you don't mind?" he asked. "I hate to burden you."

"Don't worry," she said, turning back to him from the doorway. "You do what you need, I'll handle this boring stuff."

"You're a lifesaver," he said, standing and quickly rushing over to give her a hug.

Hugging him back had never felt so awkward, Cindy decided as she held Jimmy in her arms. Drawing back, she mouthed a "Bye" to him and ran down the stairs and out the door. As she departed, Jimmy picked up the phone and started dialing Betty.

"This will work!" he told himself. "It has to!"

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Okay, thank you all for being so patient. This chapter was rough to do, and I restarted it too many times to count. All you impatient J/C lovers may get mad, but this story is still a bit from finished. I had it all planned out a while back. It's just a matter of actually getting plot thoughts into story words. A rather messy process as of late, I assure you. Please, feel free to critique. I need it. I know of many areas where I'm not pleased with dialogue/etc, so any words of insight are more than welcome.

-Tim


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